Michael Wandelmaier grew up in Ottawa, Ontario, in a family of science geeks with artistic temperaments. His years at Queen’s University in Kingston were spent diligently neglecting his courses in civil engineering and geology in favor of leisure and drawing cartoons for the school paper. #After graduation, he moved to Toronto to pursue a career in graphic design and illustration. He is currently a designer at a Toronto advertising agency and an illustrator whenever possible. #In the two years since Michael began illustrating professionally, his illustrations have appeared in publications such as the New Yorker, Maisonneuve magazine, Fantagraphics’ Beasts! Book 2, and Planadviser magazine. #Michael currently lives in Toronto with his girlfriend, artist Jessica Fortner, from whom he derives constant inspiration.

Hilary Leung was born November 2, 1975, in Hamilton, Ontario where he grew up throwing things, climbing stuff and drawing cartoons. Only one of these activities kept him out of trouble. In grade five, he wrote and illustrated his first picture book, Rover’s Adventure. It was epic, but remains unpublished.#In September 1994, Hilary enrolled into Sheridan College’s Illustration program and spent three years re-learning how to draw. After graduating, he continued at Sheridan and completed a post-graduate program in New Media Design.#In December 2003, Hilary created an ultimate frisbee tournament for three birthday friends. He assigned each birthday person as a captain of a team and doodled a ninja, a cowboy and a bear for their birthday cards. The tournament was a success and Ninja Cowboy Bear has grown into a popular annual event in Toronto.#In January 2008, Hilary and his good friend David Bruins decided to work on a fun project together. Together they created the book, The Legend of Ninja Cowboy Bear. It took nine months to write, illustrate and self-publish 2000 copies. After quickly breaking sales of 1000 copies, David and Hilary were approached by Kids Can Press about licensing their book. Currently they are developing an animated Ninja Cowboy Bear television series.#Hilary plans to follow his dream of illustrating children’s books and drawing for a living. He currently lives and works as a freelance graphic artist in the GTA.

Award-winning photographer Brian Harris lives in Vancouver with his wife, Paula Ford. The photographs he takes are used to help charitable organizations raise awareness and create a better world to live in: the photographs he took in Tibet and India are helping Seva Canada restore eyesight to people who are blind. They do this with cataract operations. His photographs of sustainable farms and city growers are helping FarmFolk/CityFolk return the community to better ways of growing and eating local food.#One day, writer Deborah Hodge called Brian to order the calendar he had created for FarmFolk/CityFolk. After telling him about her work as a children’s book author, Brian suggested that they work together to create a children’s book about sustainable farming. Deborah was excited about the idea, and the pair have now worked together to create two books for Kids Can Press that will help FarmFolk/CityFolk create a better way of growing food on local farms and in our own neighborhoods and backyards.#When he’s not taking photographs, Brian and his wife, Paula, enjoy growing food and flowers on their large balcony deck that sits on the roof of their housing co-op building.